Peyton Manning’s Been Retired For About Two Seconds And The Colts Are Already Giving Him The Ultimate Honor

Future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning sure has had a crazy ass month or so, going from Super Bowl champ in February to retired 39-year-old in March, but as nuts as its been, “The Sheriff” just found out some news that makes his entire NFL career worth it.

That’s because the Indianapolis Colts, the team who drafted him No. 1 overall in 1998, announced that they’ll be honoring Manning with a statue outside Lucas Oil Stadium, the complex many refer to as “The House That Manning Built.”

Here’s what Colts owner Jim Irsay said:

“I think I speak for all Colt fans when I kind of feel like he’s ours,” Irsay said.

He added: “I just can’t say enough about what he’s meant for this franchise — this city and state. Just simply run out of words thinking about how much No. 18 means to us, and so actions are the most powerful thing in life, more powerful than words.”

Irsay, who’s a classic rock fan, compared Manning’s honor to one of Jim Morrison, the legendary singer from The Doors, who has a shrine for him in Paris where fans leave flowers and notes.

Just like Jim Morrison’s grave, even though it’s not a grave Peyton, it will be a destination for people to leave cans of Budweiser or notes for you, so we’ll collect those and get them to you as years pass,” Irsay said. “But we couldn’t be more excited about the statue. It’s not often you build a statue of someone in their lifetime, but we’re really excited about putting this iconic statue outside Lucas Oil Stadium where it will stand for many, many years.”

Manning, when asked about the honor, had this to say:

“I can’t tell you how honored and humbled I am by that news, I really don’t know what to say,” Manning said. “It was my honor and privilege to play for that organization for 14 years.”

When an athletes gets a giant, customized bust, it instantly puts him/her into legendary status, so it’s dope to see the Colts reward Peyton Manning for all that he’s done for the game of football early on in his retirement with this class move.